


Both Reasonable and Belonging

by JinkyO



Series: Before Us There Was Me [3]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Babies, Families of Choice, Fatherhood, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-16
Updated: 2015-05-16
Packaged: 2018-03-30 19:35:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3949060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JinkyO/pseuds/JinkyO
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harold will always be better than Nathan at changing diapers, fact. But Nathan has him beat at other things where baby Will is concerned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Both Reasonable and Belonging

“Nathan? What is this?”

“I tried, Harold. I'm just no good at it. My hands are too big.”

“Really? That excuse just might top your handiwork here in terms of pathetic,” Harold said, cradling the squirming baby closer. “You'll have to redo it.”

“But I just—”

“I know. And as soon as I put him down he's going to crawl right out of it. Come here. I'll show you how to do it. Again.”

“I asked Olivia if we could just switch to disposables, like normal people.”

“Sshh, I got you, little man. Gonna' get you fixed up in just a minute,” Harold cooed, holding the loose diaper in place as he bounced Will against his chest. After settling the baby he turned back to Nathan. "You asked and she said no, because unlike normal people, you two have the means and a nanny."

“Who needs off days.” Nathan clarified as he pulled a clean cloth from the shelf.

“Day. You just have to keep him clean and dry for one day, Nathan.” Harold cocked his head towards the crib. “Take the side down. That's part of the problem; you can't shortcut it by trying to change him from overhead.”

“The railing is a pain in the ass,” Nathan said, unlocking and lowering the rail anyway.

Harold laid Will down on the pad. Leaving one hand on the baby, he stepped aside and let Nathan move into place.

“I thought you were showing me?”

“Don't whine, it's not attractive. Start with the pins.”

Will wiggled, clutching his chubby fingers at his father's hand as Nathan unsnapped the blue capped safety pins, fastened too far apart to function as designed.

“Good,” Harold said, starting up a game of peek-a-boo with Will, catching his eye first before slowly leaning to the side, hiding behind Nathan. “Fix the back first, bring it up to his waist.”

Will gurgled a happy laugh and kicked his feet as Nathan adjusted the cloth. Harold planted his hands on Nathan's shoulder and pushed himself up on his toes, peeking at the baby over his father's shoulder. Will caught sight of him and let out a gleeful squeal. “Takes after his old man,” Nathan said with a chuckle.

“That he does,” Harold said, ducking down out of view again. He rested his head against Nathan's back, sliding his arms down to loosely circle him as he guided Nathan through the steps. “Now, tuck him downward then pull the front of the diaper up to his belly.”

“Did I tell you? He got me good last week,” Nathan said, his voice rumbling through his chest and vibrating against Harold's face. "I forgot to use the cloth."

“Sing to him,” Harold murmured as Nathan's back flexed and stretched with the motions of setting the diaper right. "It distracts him."

“He cries when Olivia sings.”

“That's Olivia.” Harold tightened his hold. “ _You_ sing to him.” Leaving a hand on Nathan's back, he stepped to the side so that he could oversee the folding and fastening.

 _“The itsy-bitsy spider...”_   Nathan began, his rich voice hesitant, _“climbed up the water spout ...”_

 _“Down came the rain and washed the spider out...”_ Harold continued softly when Nathan faltered, moving through the verse until Nathan joined him.

_“Out came the sun and dried up all the rain. And the itsy-bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.”_

Will clapped his hands together and laughed, squirming against the open diaper.

“Hold him steady. And make sure you give him enough room between the legs.”

“You want another one, little man?” Nathan asked as he leaned down to blow a loud kiss over Will's belly. “Daddy knows a lot of songs.”

Harold smoothed his hand over Nathan's back. “It'll be a while before he can tell you no. You might as well give him an encore.”

_“Twinkle, twinkle, little star...”_

Will's wide blue eyes focused on Nathan. He relaxed his legs as Nathan sang and tucked and folded the diaper into place.

“Pin it snug, but don't let it pinch,” Harold encouraged in between lines.

“Not half bad,” Nathan said, beaming down at his smiling, snugly diapered son.

Harold pulled his hand away as Nathan scooped Will up into his arms. Father and son smiled at each other, exchanging little coos. Harold dropped his eyes and turned away. “Take him for a few minutes. I'll clean up in here and put the rail back.”

“Thanks,” Nathan said, distracted, bobbing his nose playfully against Will's and already hefting the boy up into a firmer hold. “I'm just going to take him around the back yard. Come out with us when you're done, okay?”

“Sure. Go. He likes Daddy rides.”

“Do you, little man?” Nathan babbled as Will made a grab for his hair. “Wanna' explore the big bad backyard with your old man? What's that? Hell yes? Then let's go.”

Harold closed his hand over the foot of the crib and watched Nathan walk out of the nursery with Will in his arms, reprising the Itsy-Bitsy Spider in his off-key baritone as he and his son set off on their backyard adventure.


End file.
